


'Friends'

by L3t_U5_D0_That_Aga1n



Series: Marvel Hero Academia [13]
Category: Captain Britain and MI: 13, Spider-Man - All Media Types, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Awkward Meetings, Don’t copy to another site, Jealousy, Regret, Socially Inept Yagi Toshinori, past bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26312755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L3t_U5_D0_That_Aga1n/pseuds/L3t_U5_D0_That_Aga1n
Summary: In which Peter Parker causes problems just by existing.
Relationships: Brian Braddock & David Shield, Brian Braddock & Peter Parker, David Shield & Yagi Toshinori | All Might, David Shield/Liz Allan, Gwen Stacy & Mary Jane Watson, Liz Allan & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker & Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy
Series: Marvel Hero Academia [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686835
Comments: 11
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

‘Friends’

**Spider-Man, Captain Britain, and all associated characters, are property of Marvel. My Hero Academia and all related characters are property of Kohei Horikoshi**

/+/+/+/+/

Brian managed not to scowl as Gwen and Peter exchanged goo goo eyes over their shared milkshake. He had no idea why Peter was with her. Nothing against Gwen—she was smart, witty, well-mannered for an American. But as much time Peter spent mooning over her, he’d be wracked with worry that she’d dump him for something or other. Whether it be his habitual lateness because he’s Spider-Man, the fact that he could forget about her problems in light of his own problems as Spider-Man, her finding out he’s Spider-Man. And, of course, the general gamut of insecurities that plagued everyone in a relationship.

Bottom line, the paradox the two of them presented gave him ulcers.

Toshi, bless him, just ignored them.

“Why are we here again?” Brian whispered to his fellow blonde.

“David wanted to introduce us to his tutee,” his friend whispered back. He then frowned, but didn’t look up from his book (a collection of stories on Captain America and the Howling Commandos), and asked, “Why are we whispering?”

“So we don’t turn _their_ attention on us,” he replied, glaring at the couple across the table. Honestly, they were in a diner, not a dark movie theatre.

“You could stand to be more subtle about it,” Peter teased, smirking their way.

Brian rolled his eyes, leaning back against the booth, “It’s rude to eavesdrop.”

“It’s also rude to whisper about people like they aren’t there,” Gwen countered, finishing off her and Peter’s milkshake.

Brian wanted to counter that it was also rude for people to sit down at tables they weren’t implicitly invited to. But, to her credit, Peter had to drag her down onto his lap to get her to stay. Never mind that David wanted just Toshi, Peter, and Brian to meet the woman he’d been steadily getting closer to (and was dating, no matter how much the man himself tried to deny it). But Peter decided to just do his own thing, damn their plans.

…Was this how it felt to be Johnny Storm (who’s man crush on Peter was an open secret in the Hero community)? God, what was it with Peter and putting blondes on edge?

In any case he rolled his eyes, but smiled at Gwen, who’s smirk turned into something genuine.

“Heya Tiger!”

And quickly turned into a fierce scowl.

Brian looked over his shoulder to see Mary Jane Watson walk—no, _strut_ —over to them. She was easily one of the most beautiful women he’d ever had the pleasure to meet; nothing against Gwen, who was rightfully proud of her own good looks, but Mary Jane put some Heroines he knew to shame. Sociable, easy-going, and with a healthy appreciation of British theatre (being a theatre major herself), Brian would have asked her out on a date if he wasn’t reluctant to enter a romantic relationship while abroad. And if she wasn’t clearly interested in Peter Parker.

“Hey, MJ!” Peter, remarkably oblivious for a man that palled around with Reed Richards, smiled at the redhead. Gwen settled further into his lap, but Peter (somehow) ignored her and said, “Need a seat?”

“Thanks, but I can’t stay.” Mary Jane pouted (a very cute gesture that a number of people would kill to have directed at them), “I’m here to pick up some meals for myself and the other actors. Wish I could join you, but duty calls!” Briefly, Brian imagined that she would lean against their table, bringing her prominent chest to Peter’s eye-level. But Mary Jane, for all her flirtations, had class.

Peter chuckled, ignorant of the dark look flashing across Gwen’s face, “I know the feeling. Hamlet, right?”

“Macbeth.”

“Oh!” Peter bowed in his seat, “Well, forgive me, Lady Macbeth.”

Mary Jane giggled, “Not quite. I’m one of the Weird Sisters.”

Toshi, eyes still glued to his book, grunted, “Really?” Brian was of a mind; she had enough talent to be the lead, after all.

“I’m helping direct a bunch of Freshman one act plays. I didn’t want to split too much of my attention between that and Macbeth.”

Gwen’s jealously and discomfort flitted away, curiosity taking its place. “Oh, so you did get put in charge of them?”

“I’m codirecting with a senior, but yeah.” She sighed, shoulders slumping a bit, “It’s harder than you’d think.”

Gwen smirked, eyes raking over Mary Jane’s formfitting clothing, “They easily distracted?”

The redhead snorted, crossing her arms and cocking her hips, “If only, then I could get them to do what I want. No,” she tilted her head up, flipping her hair with all the dramatic flair of a diva, “it’s all ego with them.” She looked at a clock on the wall, eyes widening, “Yeesh, is that the time? I gotta go!” She waved at them as she hurried along, but did look over her shoulder and say, “See you later, Tiger.”

And once again Gwen looked fit to kill somebody (Brian was beginning to think Mary Jane simply enjoyed pushing her buttons).

“What’s up with that?” The three of them turned to Toshi, who still hadn’t looked up from his book, but continued, “Why’s she call you ‘Tiger’ all the time?”

Gwen smiled sweetly at her boyfriend, who had the decency to blush, “Yeah, _Tiger_?”

Peter leaned back, eyes darting everywhere but at Gwen, “Uh…well…I…hey!” He gesticulated wildly, “Look! It’s David and—!” Peter’s jaw dropped, shoulders slumping “…You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Brian, once again, looked over his shoulder. Indeed, there was David, laughing at something the woman beside him was saying. Brian had seen the young woman from afar once, and now that he had a closer look, he could see that she too was a ridiculously beautiful woman (was there something in New York’s water supply? He didn’t run into nearly as many women of this caliber in the U.K.). She was blonde, closer to Brian’s lighter shade than Toshi’s, pale, but not in a sickly way, and maybe a head shorter than David.

Finally, the pair turned their attention to them. David smiled and waved, but the woman’s eyes widened, lips parting into a shocked ‘O’. Still, she let David lead her forward.

“Hey guys—oh, and Gwen! Good to see you!” He blushed, pulling at his collar, “Anyway, uh, you’ve heard me talk about her often enough, but this is—”

“Liz Allan.” Brian turned back to Peter, an incredulous stare on his face.

“Peter Parker,” Liz responded, equally mystified.

Gwen had another icy smile on her face, “So…you two know each other?”

Her boyfriend nodded, “Knew each other in high school.” Liz nodded as well, not offering anything else.

David’s lips had curled into a nervous smile, and Gwen’s face was frozen between a polite smile and a grimace. Peter looked like he was standing right in front of a rampaging Rhino.

Toshi, bless him, didn’t tear his eyes away from his book as he asked, “You used to date or something?”

That brought a greater reaction from Peter. Namely laughter. Loud, raucous laughter that earned them more than a few angry glares. “Me, and her? Ha, good one!” Well, that was a rude thing to say. Although the blush that adorned Liz’s face was less outraged and more…uneasy? Ashamed? Whatever it was, it didn’t stop Peter from rising to his feet. “I just remembered I forgot to do something. C’mon Gwen.”

Gwen blinked, stumbling as Peter pulled her up, “W-What’d you forget?”

“Don’t know, let’s find out,” Peter replied, just barely waving them all goodbye. Thus, Brian found himself in the middle of a very awkward atmosphere.

Until Toshi looked up from his book, blinking and twisting his head around, “Where’d Peter and Gwen go?”

Truly, bless Toshi and his selective intelligence.

/+/+/+/+/

**A/N: This was originally supposed to be entirely about an awkward meeting between Peter and Liz Allan, but then I remembered that Mary Jane and Gwen, for all that they were friends, were mutually jealous of the others relationship with Peter. So…this happened. Be sure to leave a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

‘Friends’ 2: Friend Harder

**Spider-Man, Captain Britain, and all associated characters, are property of Marvel. My Hero Academia and all related characters are property of Kohei Horikoshi**

/+/+/+/+/

After exchanging brief, awkward pleasantries, David and Liz sat down where Peter and Gwen had. David ordered them some coffee, pouring in the (large) amount of sugar and cream Liz seemed to like, and she leaned against him as she drank it (in any other situation, Brian would have felt vindicated).

Toshi had put away his book, pursing his lips and drumming his hands on his legs. Eventually, he broke the silence that had fallen over them, asking, “Are you…okay?”

Brian rolled his eyes, “Brilliant question,” he muttered, bringing a light flush to Toshi’s face.

Liz just sighed, tightening her grip on her mug, “I’m fine, thanks. It’s just,” her lips curled into a thoughtful frown, “I never thought I’d see Peter Parker again.”

David chuckled, “Kinda wish I’d told you his name. Then we could’ve avoided…this.”

Liz smirked, looking up at him, “You’re the one that insisted on not mixing business and pleasure.” David blushed, and as much as Brian wanted to tease his friend, there was a more pressing matter at hand.

“Do you,” he waited for Liz to turn to him, “want to…talk about what all that was?”

She colored, hesitantly shaking her head, “I…I don’t think I should. I mean, you’ll probably hear all about it from Peter. You’re all friends, after all.”

“But you’re my friend too,” David said.

“Sure but…” Liz’s eyes darted between Brian and Toshi.

Toshi cleared his throat, “I believe I speak for Brian when I say that, while Peter is our friend, there are at least two sides to every story.” The British Hero nodded, sending Liz a soft, reassuring smile.

Liz mumbled something, too low even for Brian to hear. Aloud she said, “It’s not just my story to tell. I’ll only talk if Peter’s okay with it.”

“No problem,” Brian said, pulling out his phone. He dialed Peter’s number.

His friend picked up on the third ring. “What?” came his snappish response.

“We’re all still at the diner,” he looked at Liz, who drew in on herself, “and we were all just curious about—”

“Later,” Peter barked.

“We were wondering if you were comfortable with Liz telling us what happened between you two.” The line grew silent. “Peter? I said—”

“I heard!” Brian waited as Peter mumbled something—most likely talking to Gwen. He came back, saying, “Put Liz on.” Brian nodded, handing her the phone.

“Hey Peter,” she said. “…No, I didn’t offer, I thought it’d be better coming from you.” She looked up at them, lips twitching, “They’re pretty insistent…” her face colored, a frown creasing her features, “I planned on telling them the truth, Parker.” There was a fire in her eyes, but Peter must’ve said something else, because it dies as quickly as it appeared. “…Bye,” Liz said belatedly, ending the call and giving Brian back his phone. But instead of beginning her tale, she just sighed, clasping her hands atop the table.

David laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, “You don’t have to tell us anything, you know?”

But Liz shook her head, resolute. “No, but I will.” She gulped, looking them all in the eyes before sitting up straighter, “So, Peter and I went to the same high school. He tell you anything about that?”

Brian and David shook their heads, though Toshi said, “I think he said it was…Mid-something?”

“Midtown High,” Liz nodded. “It’s in Forest Hills—Queens,” she added at Brian’s blank stare. “It’s…it’s big on sports—football, hockey, basketball, diving, cheerleading—”

“Cheerleading’s a sport?” Toshi interrupted.

“It is and I’ll punch out anyone that says otherwise,” Liz growled. Toshi held up his hands, eyes wide. The young woman shook her head, “Sorry just…old argument.”

“Familiar too,” David smirked. A smile ghosted across Liz’s lips, but her frown held firm.

“Anyway, Midtown was big on sports—a lot of big-name professional athletes either went there or have coaches that went there.” She shook her head, “Bottom line, if you were on a team, you were the cream of the crop.”

Toshi crossed his arm with a contemplative hum, “Guessing Peter wasn’t, then?”

“Not at all,” Liz nodded. She took a sip of her coffee, “He was all gangly limbs and sweater vests and giant glasses and…” she sighed, “I know it sounds rude, but if you can imagine a stereotypical eighties movie nerd, you’ve got a pretty good idea of how Peter looked back then. A lot different than how he is now, let me say.”

Brian frowned, thinking of the proffered image and comparing it to the current Peter. It painted a weird picture.

“Obviously,” Liz continued, “Peter wasn’t one for sports. But he was smart. Easily the smartest kid to ever attend Midtown, especially after—well, that’s not important right now.” Liz took a deep breath, “Point is, Peter was smart, and he was proud of it. Very proud.”

“Guessing it rubbed some people the wrong way,” David said. When Liz nodded, he pursed his lips, and added, “It rubbed…you the wrong way?”

“…Yeah,” she admitted, hanging her head low. “I…I don’t know if we—the jocks and such—started it or he did, but Peter Parker became Midtown’s de facto punching bag.”

Toshi perked up at that, as did Brian. David had the most vocal reaction, gasping, “Good god, people beat him up?!”

“No!” Liz exclaimed, eyes wide, “No. Even if the star athletes were given a lot, and I mean a _lot_ of leeway, Midtown’s staff wouldn’t have let anyone get away with something like that.” She looked down at her mug, “But shoving him in lockers, tripping him over, slamming doors in his face, singling him out as a loser? We could get away with that.”

Brian hummed, mind flashing back to secondary school. He’d never been the most popular person either, but the Braddock name provided him with a decent level of protection. Peter didn’t have that. He was left to the wolves.

Toshi leaned forward, eyes narrowed, “What changed, then? You obviously feel guilty about your past behavior.”

Liz took a deep breath, “So, near the end of sophomore year, Peter started acting…different.”

“How so?” Brian asked. Sophomore…Peter would have been about fifteen. When he became Spider-Man.

Liz pursed her lips, “…He stopped engaging us.”

“What’s that mean?”

“After one of us would…uh…”

“Bully him?” Brian supplied.

“Yeah, that” Liz said meekly, “Usually, Peter had a smart remark, or would glare at us and grumble beneath his breath. Not anymore though. He’d just look at us for a moment, and then be on his way. It was weird, but the end of the year was coming up, so we didn’t really pay any attention to it. And then Summer flew by and we just put it out of our minds.”

“And when school started back up again?” David asked.

“Same thing,” Liz shrugged, “We’d make fun of him, he’d ignore us.” She snorted, “Pissed Flash the hell off.”

Brian arched a brow, “Flash?”

“Star Quarterback,” Liz grimaced, “and my ex.” Something flashed in David’s eyes—some form of jealousy, Brian was sure—but he kept silent as Liz said, “Anyway, that wasn’t the only weird thing about Peter come fall. Before, he used to stay after school for hours on end and do,” she waved her hand in the air, “science stuff and whatever. But he would consistently leave early—and not on a school bus. He’d just…disappear as soon as the final bell rang.”

“How’d you find all this out?” Toshi asked, “Did you stalk Peter?”

Liz blushed, “Sort of. We were all curious—not enough to actually, you know, follow him, but enough to notice that things were weird.” Self-loathing overtook her features, “And then we found out his Uncle died the past spring.”

Brian blinked, jaw dropping slightly, “You ‘found out’? Months after?”

Liz snorted, “Pathetic, right? I’m sure I’d heard about it before, but I just…pushed it aside.”

Well…Brian could understand that. How often did you delve into the personal lives of your peers, especially those you thought beneath you? Wasn’t kind, but he’d probably done it himself once or twice. A quick glance at his friends revealed that they didn’t have the same perspective—but while Toshi was nonplussed, David was staring at Liz with an unreadable expression. Probably reevaluating what he knew and what he thought about her.

“And the shocks kept on coming,” Liz spoke up, bringing their full attention back to her. “It was around Halloween. Spider-Man had started making appearances—”

“How do you mean?” Toshi interrupted, blushing at the flat stare Liz sent his way.

“…Everyone and their mother wanted to dress up as Spider-Man. But Flash wanted to go the extra mile—started scouring for photos of him to create a ‘faithful’ costume.”

Brian hummed, “Found out about Peter’s job, then?”

“If by ‘job’ you mean ‘potential suicide attempts’, then yes, we did.” Brian couldn’t help the laugh that crawled up his throat; from an outside perspective, Peter constantly photographing Heroes in action _was_ stupidly dangerous. “Word got around school fast—half of us couldn’t believe it, the other half remembered that he was a whiz with a camera.”

“Which half were you?” David asked.

“Take a guess,” Liz huffed, a wry smile on her face. An awkwardness settled over them, which Liz dispelled by saying, “Anyway, Flash, he thinks Peter’s just stringing everyone along. You know, tiny, nebbish Peter Parker roaming the Burroughs looking for superhero scraps? Sounds like some kind of shitty Saturday morning cartoon.” Well, she wasn’t wrong. “So, one day, Flash strolls up to Peter, drops his arms on his shoulder, and asks if he can set up a meeting with Spider-Man.”

Brian could see Toshi was suppressing the urge to smile as he asked, “How’d Peter take it?”

“Peter…” Liz trailed off, a thoughtful frown on her face, “he just looked at Flash. I didn’t see anything—he was looking away from me—but Flash…he lost his sneer just stood there as Peter shrugged him off.” She shivered, “Flash wouldn’t tell us anything either, just stared after Peter until something else caught out attention.” She snorted, “So my stupid self decided to get to answers.”

Brian arched a brow, “…Didn’t like what you found out?”

Liz shivered, and David pulled her close, rubbing her arm. “I cornered him one day, when school ended. Asked him what the hell was going on with him.” She let out a shaky laugh, “And then I saw what freaked Flash out. Peter…he had this look in his eyes, like he could just…see right through me. Like I was some stupid, silly little kid that had no idea how the world really worked.” Brian, David, and Toshi exchanged knowing looks; going out on your own as a costumed Vigilante would do that to a guy.

Liz gulped, looking down at her hands, “It shook me to the core…I didn’t bother Peter anymore after that.”

“For two years?” David asked.

She shrugged helplessly, “I…I didn’t want to deal with the feelings he gave me. The inadequacy and all that.” She slumped in her seat, “Never thought I’d see him again after we graduated.”

“Well, perhaps it’s a good thing,” three pairs of eyes homed in on Toshi, who leaned forward, “Obviously you’ve…changed. And you feel bad about your behavior from back then. You could use this time to make amends. Bury the hatchet.” Liz hummed contemplatively. Toshi grinned, “At the very least, we all should get along for David’s sake. He shouldn’t have to choose between his friends and his girlfriend.” Brian guffawed as both David and Liz grew bright red. They stammered but didn’t outright deny the statement.

Seeing an easy way to change the topic of conversation, Brian asked, “So, how’d you two start tutoring?”

Liz and David composed themselves, the former clearing her throat, “I signed up for a collegiate tutoring program.”

Brian frowned, “Do you go to ESU?” He’d only ever caught a passing glimpse of her before today, but ESU’s campus was large enough that they could have just never had the chance to cross paths.

“Part-time for gen ed. credits,” she shrugged, “can’t afford to come full-time, even with my job.”

“Where do you work?” Toshi asked.

“An antique shop in Chinatown—The Dragon’s Horde, doubt you’ve heard of it.” Brian had not. Toshi then asked if she went anywhere before ESU. Liz grimaced, “I used to go to Columbia but…it didn’t pan out. If I get good enough grades, and earn enough scholarships, I’ll be able to go to ESU full-time.” Another awkward silence settled over them. Once again dispelled by Liz, this time when she smiled at David, “I was lucky to get paired with David. He’s smart as hell and has the patience of a saint. I kept expecting him to drop me and move on to someone more worthwhile.”

“Never,” David vowed, staring at Liz with equal parts exasperation and pride, “You’re smarter than you think, Liz, and I hate when you put yourself down like that.” Liz’s smile widened, eyes shining as her face flushed.

Brian exchanged smirks with Toshi. Aloud he said, “You two lovebirds need to be left alone?” And just like that, they jerked their heads away, David glaring at them, Liz looking down (though smiling) at her coffee. Sharing another smirk with his Japanese friend, Brian said, “Well, regardless of…you know, it was nice to finally meet you, Liz.”

“Yeah,” Toshi nodded, “I hope to see more of you.”

“Same here,” Liz sent a smile their way.

Brian and Toshi got up from the booth, the former stopping to say, “And uh, maybe give Peter a day or two to process everything, yeah?” Liz nodded thoughtfully. When David frowned Brian pointed at him, “That goes double for you.” His friend clicked his tongue but did wave them goodbye.

When they were outside, Toshi let loose a long sigh, shoulders slumping, “Well, that was…something.”

Brian scoffed, “You’re telling me.” He arched a brow, “You ever think that Peter would’ve been the kind of kid to get picked on?”

“As _we_ know him?” Toshi shook his head, “Certainly not. But, well,” Toshi lifted his head skyward, “he had to grow up, to become that man.”

Brian looked up into the sky, just in time to see Spider-Man swinging through the air. “Yeah, he sure did.”

/+/+/+/+/

**A/N: It wasn’t until he entered college that Peter gained something of an actual and healthy social life. I mean, sure, in the comics Liz Allan and Flash Thompson all the high school characters started paying more attention to him when he started Spider-Manning and being all mysterious in his civilian ID, but it never went anywhere until, again, they all were in college. Be sure to leave a review. Later.**


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